title: Diameters of left gastric vein and its originating vein on magnetic resonance imaging in liver cirrhosis patients with hepatitis B: Association with endoscopic grades of esophageal varices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether diameters of the left gastric vein (LGV) and its originating vein are associated with endoscopic grades of esophageal varices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight liver cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B undergoing magnetic resonance (MR) portography, and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for grading esophageal varices were enrolled. Diameters of the LGV and its originating vein - the splenic vein (SV) or portal vein (PV) - were measured on MR imaging. Statistical analyses were performed to identify the association of the diameters with the endoscopic grades.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Univariate analysis showed that the SV was predominantly the originating vein of the LGV, and diameters of the LGV and SV were associated with grades of esophageal varices. Diameters of the LGV (P = 0.023, odds ratio [OR] = 1.583) and SV (P = 0.012, OR = 2.126) were independent risk factors of presence of the varices. Cut-off LGV diameters of 5.1 mm, 5.9 mm, 6.6 mm, 7.1 mm, 7.8 mm and 5.8 mm; or cut-off SV diameters of 7.3 mm, 7.9 mm, 8.4 mm, 9.5 mm, 10.7 mm and 8.3 mm, could discriminate grades 0 from 1, 0 from 2, 0 from 3, 1 from 3, 2 from 3, and 0-1 from 2-3, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diameters of the LGV and SV are associated with endoscopic grades of esophageal varices.
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging, and Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tian-Wu
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nan-Lin
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hong-Jie
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jun-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Jiani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zishu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: endoscopy; esophageal varices; left gastric vein; liver cirrhosis; magnetic resonance imaging